Australian Is Named New Announcer at Hollypark

Unsuccessful in its attempts to land Trevor Denman, Hollywood Park circled the globe to find its new track announcer.

Don Alexander, who replaced Milo Perrins--who took over from Bine Masters, who replaced Jim Byers--is out and Australian Michael Wrona is in.

Hollywood Park management, which never hid its desire to find another race-caller, wanted John Tapp, Wrona’s mentor and the dean of Australian announcers.

However, he didn’t want to come to the United States, so he recommended Wrona.

Alexander will remain at Hollywood Park through the Memorial Day program and he will call the “bulk of the races” until he departs. Beginning next Wednesday, Wrona, 24, will be on his own.

How Wrona will be accepted here remains to be seen. There will be the inevitable comparisons to Denman, whom Santa Anita wouldn’t permit to work at Hollywood Park.

Alexander, who worked as a patrol judge at Hollywood Park before he replaced Perrins last year, has been offered a job in the racing office. Before he called the final race Wednesday, he said he had accepted the spot, but his duties have yet to be determined.